Casimir Maistre, born with Villeneuvette on September 24th 1867, deceased with Montpellier on September 20th 1957, was Géographe, Explorateur in Africa, then directing of manufacture.

Its life

At 18 years, whereas it followed the course of Naval to the Saint-Louis college, impassioned by the epopee of the colonization which began, it addressed to the Société geography a project of exploration of the Congo which was appreciated by the general secretary. This one accepted it and encouraged it to finish its studies before launching out in the adventure. Of 1889 with 1891, it gives up the preparation at the Naval college to take part with Georges Foucart in an important exploration of the island of Madagascar, directed by the Doctor Catat. The mission with which charged it in spite of its young age - it does not have that 21 years - the ministry for the state education consists in studying the resources of the island for its colonization. Following the massacre of the Mission Crampel, the Committee of French Africa entrusts to him the command of a forwarding in Oubangui intended to reinforce the Mission Dybowski. After a long preparation, it embarks with Bordeaux on January 10th 1892 and arrives at Brazzaville where it meets Dybowski, patient, that one repatriates on the France. Casimir then replaces it with the head of the mission. He goes up the rivers Congo and Oubangui and arrives at the first days of June at the station of Bangui. June 29th, the forwarding, which includes/understands five Europeans, leaves the post office of Kémo and begins in the unexplored areas. She will traverse thus more than 5000 kilometers, of the basin of Congo to the Sudan. Maistre could note that the two rivers of the Chari and the Logone, navigable in any season, are the principal access roads towards the Sudan and the Lac Chad. Thanks to the treaties concluded with the indigenous chiefs, it establishes the French influence in the countries ranging between the Bagirmi, the Oubangui and the Adamaoua. In 1894, it was honoured by the Société with Geography with the Gold medal for the study trips, missions and work of recognition for its exploration of Congo to the Niger. The following year, it publishes in two works the account of this adventure under the titles: Through central Africa, of Congo in Niger (1892-1893) , then in 1902, the area of the Bahr-Sara .

On his return, his/her father then asked him to help it in the management of the manufacture of Villeneuvette, that its family direct since more than one century. Casimir married Miss Guerre then, became director following his father and did not set out again any more. He had brought back of Africa, Yombo, young African of a dozen years, slave in escape which had followed the mission through Congo. This last died of a badly neat wound to the leg in 1925. Its tomb is located at the cemetery of Villeneuvette.

Its writings

• 1893 . Through central Africa, of the Congo to the Niger (1892-1893)

• 1902. the area of the Bahr-Sara

Testimony

A plate affixed on the wall of its native house with Villeneuvette summarizes its adventurous life in Congo:

Casimir Maistre was born in this house on September 25th, 1867, After having explored Madagascar in 1889-1890 with Dr. Catat, It directed in 1892-1894 the Congo-Niger mission During long years the town of Kelo (Chad) bore its name. He died in Montpellier on September 20th, 1957.

He was born actually on September 24th and was declared the next morning with the town hall of Villeneuvette.